Like lavoizer mentioned, the example does not work. Fixed it for you: variables: someName: someValue stages: - stage: stage_deploy displayName: Production jobs: - job: job_deploy_infrastructure displayName: Deploy Some Infrastructure steps: - bash: | SOMEVALUE="bleh" echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=someName;isOutput=true;]$SOMEVALUE" echo "variable value is $(someName)" name: setVariable - job: job_deploy_code displayName: Deploy Some Code dependsOn: [ 'job_deploy_infrastructure' ] variables: someName: $[ dependencies.job_deploy_infrastructure.outputs['setVariable.someName'] ] steps: - bash: | echo "the variable value is $(someName)"